Page 109 of Romance Languages

But maybe that was just the wine.

“Oh this is good,” I said, savoring the last drops of my pinot noir. I’d had us order a bottle of my favorite wine made here.

“Is it better than sex?” Everett asked. “Because you can answer that now.”

“It’s different,” I said judiciously. “You can’t accurately compare wine and sex.”

“He is right. Wine and sex are two completely different items. How can you compare a liquid to a physical activity?” At least Chase backed me up.

“Fine, but I still think you’re dodging.” Everett went back to scanning the menu for a dinner option.

“Don’t worry, Everett. Sex reigns supreme,” I said. How could I not tell the truth? I finally was able to join in these conversations honestly.

“I’m surprised you didn’t ditch us to spend more time with Seamus,” Amos said.

“I’m surprised you’re able to sit comfortably.” Chase snapped a breadstick in two, while our jaws fell to the floor. “What? Why does Everett have a monopoly on saying dirty jokes?”

Chase might act all academic, but I could tell he had a wild side, just like me. He needed the right guy to bring it out of him.

“I wouldn’t miss dinner with my friends. Sure, Seamus is hot, charming, and sweet. But he’s not you guys.”

Everett and Amos’s snarky demeanors fell for a second as genuine love filled the table. I had a hot guy in bed waiting for me, but I’d rather be here, and my friends felt the same.

“I love happy endings,” Amos said.

“It’s a happy beginning,” I clarified. “It’s only been twenty-four hours. I wonder what it’ll be like in school.”

I was going to be working across the hall from the man I loved. How people managed having office romances was beyond me. Would I be able to concentrate? Would I be coming up with excuses to venture into Seamus’s classroom?Oh, I need to borrow a marker. Oh, I need a kiss.

“How do you and Hutch and you and Raleigh manage?” I asked my friends.

“Fortunately, the red tape of public school administration combined with the omnipresence of impressionable kids is a powerful anti-aphrodisiac,” Amos explained. “Aguilar already caught Hutch and I going at it once. He’d probably fire us if he found us again.”

“This is why it pays to be a drama teacher. I have access to a large auditorium with lots of nooks and crannies.” Everett took a teasing sip of his wine, as if to say he didn’t kiss and tell. But let’s be real. This was Everett. It was more like kiss and monologue.

“Remind me to apply hand sanitizer generously the next time I’m backstage,” I said.

Everett continued chugging his wine with a smile on his face. Maybe Seamus and I would beat him at his own game and sneak into the wings sometime for a quickie. Though, the thought of fooling around on school grounds made my stomach turn. I was no longer a virgin, but that didn’t mean I was no longer a rule follower.

Before Everett could launch into more of his and Raleigh’s tawdry usage of the auditorium, two vaguely familiar faces stopped by our table: one a short, stocky dirty blond with olive skin, the other taller and lankier with a dark, Middle Eastern complexion. The guys were in their early twenties and underdressed for the winery in smudged T-shirts and jeans. They looked to have a combined five percent body fat between them.

“Mr. Mathison?” said the blond one.

Chase turned to them, eyes alight with recognition. “Sebastian? Anton? What a coincidence running into you here! Although, if you’re frequent visitors to this establishment, then it’s less a coincidence and more of a numbers game.”

“Great to see you, Mr. M. You’re looking great,” said Anton, the taller one. “You guys look familiar.”

Chase turned to us. “Sebastian and Anton were students and on the wrestling team at South Rock. They graduated…two years ago?”

“Three years this June,” said Sebastian, the dirty blond.

“We loved Mr. M.’s advanced chemistry class, even though we didn’t wind up doing anything with it. We started a business selling and installing vending machines. That’s what we’re doing here. Excuse our appearance.” Anton wiped his brow with his shirt, revealing tight six-pack abs. I felt guilty for admiring the body of a former student, but these guys hadn’t been my students, so maybe it wasn’t so bad?

“Why would a winery choose to install a vending machine? Isn’t that a competitor?” Chase asked.

“They found that more families are coming to wineries, and kids need something non-alcoholic to drink. It’s easier for them to use a vending machine than stock drinks themselves,” Sebastian said smoothly, as if it were a regular part of his sales pitch.

“I guess that’s better than slipping kids wine,” Everett said.

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